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Sid Hobbs, of Forney, needed a new heart after suffering a heart attack on New Year's Eve. Hobbs was on a donor list and got the call that he would have heart transplant surgery on Valentine's Day, which also happens to be National Donor Day. (Published Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014)

A Forney man is thankful for his Valentine's Day gift: a new heart.

Sid Hobbs had always been a fighter, but after suffering a heart attack on New Year’s Eve his family found out in order to keep fighting, Hobbs would need a heart transplant.

“There’s a lot of really heartfelt conversations that happen in moments like that. You don’t want to leave anything unsaid,” said Hobbs’ son, Scott Hobbs.

Scott Hobbs said his father has battled heart problems for the better part of 10 years, including doctors putting in a pacemaker and stents.

But after rigorous tests, Scott Hobbs said doctors concluded Hobbs would continue to have serious problems without a new heart.

Hobbs was put on the transplant donor list. His family thought it would be weeks or months before he would be a recipient.

But all of that changed on the morning of Feb.14, Valentine’s Day, also National Donor Day.

Doctors at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas called Hobbs saying his heart was ready and he would be in a life-changing surgery in a matter of hours.

His daughter, Tiffany Wood, realized the significance of the day.

“Very, very early this morning when we found out the surgery would happen at 7 o’clock and I thought, ‘Oh my goodness! It’s 2/14 in 2014, it’s Valentine’s Day! What a better day to get a heart than on Valentine’s Day. It’s perfect,’” she said.

After hours of surgery, doctors declared the transplant was successful.

“It means he gets to see our kids grow up and play with the grandbabies and enjoy several more years of his life. I’m so grateful for that,” Wood said as she was fighting tears.

Scott Hobbs said his heart goes out to the family of the donor.

“As far as what we’ve experienced today, it fills your heart with humility. Because we knew the fact we could celebrate was coming directly at the grief of some other family. We pray for them as we pray for [our father’s] recovery and God bless them wherever they are,” Scott Hobbs said.